Independent Bookseller of the Month: The Bookcase, Lowdham, Nottingham
Every month we feature a different bookshop – we ask them to tell us what makes them special and what they like most about what they do. This month it’s the turn of The Bookcase, in Lowdham, near Nottingham.
Tell us when and why you set up your bookshop?
I set up The Bookcase in September 1996 so it has just become a teenager! I had worked in bookselling in London after leaving Uni from 1984-87 and then had several years off work with my children. In 1996 a small shop became vacant in the village where we live in Nottinghamshire and I hoped someone would open a bookshop so that I could have a nice part time job. My husband said to me “You could do that” and within a week I had the lease! The passion for books had stayed with me and I still have that joy every day when the deliveries arrive, and when I stand in the shop talking about books with our customers.
Please introduce yourselves
- Marion Turner – had a previous life as a librarian, has been with me from day one and invaluably does a bit of everything from returns to dealing with book tokens, card ordering and looking after the Food and Drink section
- Eve Griffiths – also previously a librarian, Eve looks after our local books section, liaises with schools and does a lot of work on our book festival events
- Jo Blaney – again a qualified librarian, Jo looks after our local books website, www.nottinghambooks.co.uk, deals with payments to our suppliers and runs our out of print search service
- Louise Haines – was new to bookselling from the legal world and is the proverbial “duck to water”, looking after the childrens section and generally dealing with customers, schools and event stock
- Fiona Singleton – our newest recruit, Fiona is rapidly learning how to be a bookseller and looks after our small satellite outlet in a local deli/cafe
- Jo Boyes – newly graduated from art school, Jo looks after all display within the shop, creating signage, dealing with non-book products and general shop duties (as well as being our computer expert)
- Julie Fay – Julie works in the village school and does all our window displays with total flair
- Kendall Turner – Marion’s daughter and our very talented Saturday girl, Kendall is lovely with people and loves books
Are there any specialisations, enthusiasms, interests you and your staff have that are reflected in the shop’s stock?
The shop stock is very general – our main enthusiasm being to have a wide range of books to cover all age ranges and interests. Our local section has expanded in the last year to reflect the success of our website and so that is an exciting development.And we have a small publishing arm called Bookcase Editons so obviously we try to showcase our own publications within the shop. Otherwise I would say the stock range simpy reflects our passion for books in its variety and breadth. We are very much guided by our customers needs.
Do you work with local authors, hold regular events and readings, etc.?
We work closely with the Nottingham literary scene, running annual book and film festivals over the last 10 years with huge audiences and covering a range of events with authors both national and local. We work with around 20 local book groups and hold Reading Group Days every year plus local book launches and events in partnership with the Nottingham Playhouse and The Broadway cinema in Nottingham.
What are you reading at the moment?
At the moment I am hooked on the Donna Leon detective books set in Venice. I love a wide range of fiction and try to keep up with new novels so that I can recommend to customers. But my all time literary hero is George Orwell and I have been re-reading some of his early works recently.
What are your criteria for any book promotions (e.g. 3 for 2, window placements, etc.) you may run?
Our criteria for book promotions is pretty simple – we like “buy one, get one free”, not keen on 3 for 2, like to work with publishers on single titles and try to support all book trade calendar events such as World Book Day, National Poetry Day, Childrens Book Week etc.
What makes your shop THE shop to visit when in town on a book-buying mission?
We like to think that customers visiting our shop will enjoy a wonderfully peaceful browse with delicious free coffee, efficient and unobtrusive help, a relaxed atmopshere and a total focus on customer service. We try to provide a wide range of books and also non-book products so that we can be a one-stop shop for gifts, and run a very active events programme so that customers are part of a community of like-minded people. Our slogan is – “more than just a bookshop…” and that is always our aim, to be the best we can be in all aspects of our offer to customers.
You can visit The Bookcase at:
50 Main Street
Lowdham
Nottingham
NG14 7BE
Tel: 0115 966 4143
